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My earlier story should have had an additional episode: a happy outcome.

The doctors and nurses were fantastic! Emergency action, expertly delivered, solved the problem. I left Coronary Care Unit the day after the “incident”, very much on the road to full recovery. I honestly believe the thoroughness of the medical staff saved my life. I felt totally reassured-and safe-in their professional care. How can I ever thank you enough!

– after I was re-measured, I was really upset that I could not get help from hospital; but my GP got me access to the correct sized RAL class 2 stockings to help me avoid post thrombosis syndrome.

– my physio returned my telephone call to give me new exercises when I got stressed about my walking not improving.

– Until December 2012, my GP had a superb computer booking system that allowed patients to book online. And view appointments online. It was invaluable throughout the INR testing.

– The convenience and ease in that INR testing could be done through my GP surgery, rather than needing to visit Addenbrookes.

What could have been done better:

– A and E or my GP or CamDoc could have taken my symptoms seriously, and helped me get an earlier (DVT) diagnosis. I was in a lot of pain, for a five-week period. And my leg was swollen and useless for months, possibly as a result of the delay in getting access to warfarin treatment.

– Addenbrookes Thrombosis Treatment Team/Anti-Coagulation Team could have given me access to a DVT Consultant, or someone that could examine my leg, explain my DVT and help advise what was stopping me walking. My leg was swollen, cold, bent, and I could not move my toes.

– Other than the first ten days when I was visiting the TTT and could ask the nurses questions (they just told me that everyone was different, and some people can’t walk, and when I mentioned chest pains and my other leg also being swollen and hurting, they told me it was unlikely I had another clot and failed to help me), I had no access to care/advise during my three months on warfarin and that made the whole process a lot more stressful than it needed to be.

– Addenbrookes could have had a DVT Consultant talk to me, and discuss my treatment, and concerns, before sending out a standard letter to take me off warfarin, without any interaction with me over a period of months.

– My walking got worse after I discontinued warfarin, and I had no contact to seek help, guidance or advice.

– Bupa could have communicated promptly with the Thrombosis Treatment Team to make sure that I got access to the treatment that I needed.

– My GP could have liaised with me regularly, and kindly. Rather than initially shouting at me, then at subsequent appointments watching the clock during appointments, and at another appointment suggesting taking away an MSK referral when the nurse insisted that I see a GP for chest pain.

– My GP could have retained their – superb – online booking system, after the December 2012 computer upgrade.

Following an emergency admission my mother-in-law was referred in early october for a gallbladder removal operation. Within a few weeks she had a pre- op assessment, which made the family think that she would have her procedure sometime soon. Silly us!

Just before Xmas she was admitted again as an emergency – she’s asked me to pass on her thanks to the staff on ward B5 who looked after her very well. They couldn’t operate on her as she had an infection, which they treated, and then discharged her with advice from the doctors that she would receive an appointment for her op in 4-6 weeks time (apparently because of the infection she couldn’t be operated on any sooner).

Earlier this week the hospital contacted her offering a cancellation slot for this week. As this was sooner than the 4-6 weeks post infection period this offer could not be accepted. Today she has been contacted for yet another pre-op assessment appointment, has been advised that the list is full and that she shouldn’t have been told that an appointment would be given within 4-6 weeks after discharge. She is now back to square one, with no idea of how much longer she will have to wait, confused about the conflicting advice that staff representing the hospital have given her (when are staff going to realise that when they talk to patients they are doing so on behalf of the organisation and should not be simply giving a personal viewpoint? ), and extremely worried that if she doesn’t have her op soon the cycle of emergency admission will start all over again.

Surely there is a more efficient way of running such a service? I’m sure her experience is not different to that of many patients, yet no one seems to care about the worry and inconvenience this brings to patients and their families (not to mention the huge waste of tax payers’ money). I would have thought that with the spotlights so firmly on the future of Rotherham hospital and its staff that more effort would have been made to provide a slick service valued by Rotherham patients.

My 67 year old husband was sent home from his work with very severe pains under his ribcage.

He went to A and E and was asked how painful his condition was, he replied: “quite severe”. (And my husband had kept quiet about the pains for several days and is not a moaner or workshy man.)

He was sent to see a “nurse” who did not ask him any questions, did NOT examine him in any way and quite frankly seemed NOT bothered. She sent him away and told him to take paracetamol and gave him a number to phone if the condition did not get better. Well it did not.

I phoned the emergency doctor who later saw him and was very angry at his treatment at hospital. He has severe torn muscles and ligaments and he prescribed ibuprofen not paracetamol. Supposing he had had something wrong with his pancreas? Paracetamol could have made him very ill indeed.

He has been told to see how he is in three days time then to go to hospital for X-rays and blood tests. (I wonder if they will bother?)

My son was born in this hospital 2 years ago; I have just discovered this website and felt I had to tell my story.

A week after my son was due my waters broke, I went to the delivery suite and was examined by a midwife, she said my waters had broken and I would be induced within 48 hours to prevent infection to me and the baby. She left the room and came back, said the head midwife didn’t think my waters had broke and to go home and come back on my planned day of induction if I still didn’t go into labour naturally, I never saw the head midwife she didn’t even come into the room I was in.

For a week I had regular contractions and dilated 3 cms, I was made to go in every day for a heart trace of the baby, every time they said I had a sleepy baby as his heart rate kept slowing, a consultant was called each time and said trace looks fine send her home. I would then hear the midwives whispering that they didn’t think the trace looked good.

On planned day of induction I was told there was no bed for me on the delivery suite, was taken to delivery next morning. The midwife I was given tried to break my waters, I told her they had all ready broke but she tried anyway, said oh there is no waters there!

I ended up having an emergency section, during the op the Anaesthetist was arguing with the some of the midwives telling them to shut up, they were also arguing in recovery.

The next morning I was on maternity ward, told to get up and go in shower, I was in agony and was shouted at by a midwife for been in so much pain as apparently she had a section and wasn’t in pain like I was. I was walked to shower then left. I couldn’t bend down to take surgical stockings off so had to call for help, was huffed and puffed at then left again

I was allowed home the next day, a week later after I’d had the staples removed I felt really unwell, I was shaking and my teeth were chattering, my husband said there was an awful smell and liquid was seeping out of my section wound

I was told to go to A&E. The staff on A&E were lovely. A Gynaecologist came to see me, she was also lovely, she touched my wound and it exploded. What seemed like litres and litres of puss went all over her, up the walls and on the floor, she said my abdomen had burst

I was taken back to maternity ward with my son and given 3 bags of blood and intravenous antibiotics. The next day 3 consultants and 2 junior doctors came to see me, they didn’t introduce themselves or say what they were going to do. A midwife was told to get forceps, and they whispered amongst themselves, a midwife was told to lift my stomach up (bit over overhang off pregnancy belly ) a junior doctor proceeded to rip open the part of my wound that had healed, I was offered no pain relief or told what they were doing, I was in absolute agony and screaming at them to stop touching me, they then all left the room

A few hours later a midwife and a auxiliary arrived and told me they needed to get the fluid out of me, this meant the midwife putting both of her hands on my abdomen and pushing as hard as she could, again this was extremely painful and I was crying out and asking her to stop, she didn’t, at this point my husband walked in and asked them what the hell they thought they were doing, she walked out with her head down. He went down to the staff room to ask what was going on but nobody seemed to know

After this my husband wouldn’t leave me and slept in the private room on a chair for a week, another consultant came to see me, said my wound had broken down and you could see my rectal sheath, he said my wound would have to heal from the inside out then it would have to be sown up again, a lovely midwife arranged for me to have a bottle of gas and air brought to me, I used this the 2 times a day the wound was cleaned and packed

A week later the consultant came back and said he would “fix ” me

I was taken into theatre and my wound was cleaned and repaired, I was in theatre for 4 hours

it was the worst experience of my life, the way I was treated was an utter disgrace.

My son was taken to A&E after visiting the emergency doctor, as he had a rash on his leg and his foot had swollen up and he could not walk he also had a temperature and felt very unwell.

The doctor that treated him in A&E was fantastic he acted very quickly as he though my son may have a menigitis type illness, getting him straight on the antibiotics, he was very attentive and kept me informed throughout I couldnt fault him.

However it was downhill from there on, on the first evening my son was moved 4 times, he was put on a ward the next day, as he is 17 he had to go on an adult ward, he was placed on a ward, there is no care or attention from any of the nursing staff, you are just left, the food is so bad.

Today he has been discharged, I have not spoke to a doctor I have no diagnosis of what was wrong with him, but just wanted to get him home so I can care for him properly here.

I feel so sad for the elderly people on this ward who may not have anyone visiting them, they do not care if they are washed in fact I think you could lie in your own wee for hours and no one would notice or care. They also must be starving hungry because of the dismal food and meagre portions.

you have to pay to have a bit of tv or music very expensive it is too, they are just left there.

I would just like to express my thanks for the care and compassion shown to my father on a recent trip to the QEII in Welwyn Garden City. Following a cardiac episode he was seen by he GP who referred him to the QEII. He has long standing chronic issues, as well as cancer.

He was triaged promptly and the medical and nursing staff were professional and supportive at all times during his whole stay. The young Irish nurse in the Clinical Decsion Unit was lovely and the young doctors and registrar treated my father with dignity and respect. They took time to explain what they were doing and kept us informed.

He is a colourful character and can be quite loud as he is deaf and has lost his hearing aid. Everyone took the time to listen to him and share a few words and support.

The only thing which was slightly jarring note was the radio which was on in the background until I turned if off. I was not clear who it was for and as my father is hard of hearing this made some communication difficult.

This is the third time the QEII have supported and saved my fathers life he is very thankful for thier continuing support and kindness. He hopes he won’t see them again anytime soon!

Please pass these comments to the whole team and our thanks for all the work they do to support people such as my father.

My friend and I brought my partner into Kingston A and E as recommened by her psychiatrist, as she was feeling suicidal, and had taken an overdose and ended up in hospital two days prior.

This time we wanted to stop her before it was too late. She has recently been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, and so finds it very hard to deal with her emotions and instead acts on them destructively.

We saw a doctor who said she would refer us to the emergency psychiatrists, but we never met this team. Instead we were passed over to a man who told us ‘we’d be fine’ and they couldn’t do anything. He refused to let us meet with the psychiatric team, and when I expressed fears for her immediate safety he LAUGHED and said ‘she’s not going to kill herself!’ despite the fact that she felt otherwise.

We went to speak to someone else to get her the care that she needed immediately to calm her out of her state, and to keep her in a safe environment until she got better. The nurse we spoke to looked very concerned, until the same man saw us, body blocked the nurse from our conversation and said ‘the exit is that way.’

My girlfriend, who just wanted some help, felt so violated and forgotten about, and like she would never get the help she deserved, got set off again into a BPD fit, and turned and ran out of the building. I followed her crying for help as I know how destructive she can get when she gets like this. I called to the man for help, as well as two nurses on the way out and the receptionist.

She ran into the busy road and I had to grab her and pull her back. Not a single staff member came to see if we were ok. I feel disgusted at this treatment. If my girlfriend wasn’t so upset I would have gone straight back in there to get everyone’s names, but obviously I was more concerned in doing my amateur best at convincing her not to kill herself.

Here are the first set of standards the hospital promises on their website:

Throughout my pregnancy I had various issues and found myself at East Surrey hospital on a few occasions!

On all occasions I had exceptional treatment. At the start of July 2012 my waters broke (due date 27th July 2012), I called the Rusper ward and was advised to go in for a check, it was confirmed that my waters broke. I was kept in and advised that I wouldn’t be leaving without a daughter 🙂

I was then told the following day that I would be induced if I didn’t go into labour naturally. I did go into labour naturally and throughout this process helped by a member of staff called Marion Saunders.

Marion went high and beyond to help me through the pain sitting holding my hand, breathing with me through the night and allowing me a warm bath late at night. She was amazing and I cannot thank her enough!

When I went down to the delivery suite the midwives there were amazing also, my midwife Anne Evans was brilliant, really caring she helped me through the entire process including when I ended up having an emergency Caesarian due to my daughters waters breaking.

All of the staff in theatre were really good and extremely relaxing and I didn’t feel at any point there was a reason to panic (although there was) my partner, daughter and I are all eternally grateful to East Surrey hospital and the staff!